If You've Never Failed, You've Never Lived

Score Herding photos

These photos were taken by Amy Johnson of Great Dane Photos. They are from a herding trial in the summer of 2009 where I was doing a lot of training and some trialing with Score. The photo series was taken at the pen and then after a successful shed.

Now that I'm back working Score on stock after having to take the summer off (due to Lyme disease treatment and complications), the season is coming to an end. I can look at these photos and dream of doing it again next year. I so missed working Score, as I just love the way I can set a line when he is driving and he will hold the sheep on that line. It's something that was very natural in him and I just didn't screw it up.

Images by GreatDanePhotos Copyright 2009 (www.greatdanephotos.com) used with permission.

Last weekend I was able to sneak an AKC A course trial in to see if he could handle some pressure (the arena courses really put pressure on the dogs because of the fence and the draws) and he handled himself really well up until he had to turn them across the field which is where he stopped listening. I was happy with his work up until then. The repen was really fun because the dog and handler had to work to get them into the pen.

Here is a video from that arena course:



Spring of 2011, I'll be back to regular herding training with Score and Schema. It's good for them and so challenging and enjoyable for me.

Gratitude

Kathy Flynn sent me this lovely message"

"Carolyn Hax says, “Being negative is easy. There will always be a downside to everything good, a hurdle to everything desirable, a con to every pro. The real courage is in finding the good in what you have, the opportunities in every hurdle, the pros in every con.”

The opposite of this is also true! “Being positive is easy.” Don’t let the negative things get you down! You can overcome anything that you want to – you just need to want to! Make the decision and be positive. You know you can do it. When you do make the switch, you will see more gratitude flow into your life!"

Paul B. Taubman, II

And I found the video below, which relates to this same subject. There are endless inspirational quotes (I had to pause the video many times for some of them). I don't know how I could ever feel bad after watching it and listening to the music.

Why Talk About It?

Here's a question for you. If you think you heard something said about a friend that is not nice and would upset them, what would you do? Would you interrupt the conversation and defend your friend? Would you say nothing and then go tell your friend? Or would you just ignore the conversation?

I know in my high school and college days, I felt the need to tell my friends what was said. I felt that they needed to know so they could defend themselves.

If I am really honest with myself as to why I used to want to tell my friends what I heard said about them - it was actually to bring about more attention to myself to someone that I felt was important in my life. Not really done to help my friend at all (since it only ends up hurting them more). Once I realized that it's just best to ignore negative things being said about others and to even try NOT to hear gossip that is being discussed, it really made me feel like I had more control of my life. I do not need to pass along "news" being discussed by someone that obviously has different intentions in life (or is in a different place right now than I am) in order for me to feel better. I do not need or require others to like me or respect me and I don't need to try and control others' discussions, even if they are about me or any of my friends. It's impossible to do, anyway and that is something that will only affect them. It only affects me, when I let it affect me - and that just makes me feel so much more in control of my life.

Passing along negativity only brings about more negativity and more hurt feelings. Life is not about "defending" what you feel is right. Live life like our beloved dogs do - they hold no grudges and do not defend anything they do - they just do what they feel is reinforcing and ignore anything that is uncomfortable until it goes away.

You gotta just love dogs!